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Hi everyone. I'm about 13 weeks along, due 9/27. I got a partial unfill at 8 weeks because EVERYTHING was sticking. It was obnoxious and I wasn't able to get in enough nutrients. I guess I'm posting because I feel other pg women don't really understand all the issues I have! lol. Ya'll are so good at helping with band related stuff. I'm so scared of gaining too much weight. I was 284 when I found out, and have gone up to 289 so far. I was planning on trying to get pg when I was down to 240ish, but I guess life had other plans. My last appt my Dr put my on blood pressure meds since I was testing high everytime I went. I've always been told I have white coat high blood pressure, but I guess I never really cared enough to really determine if that was accurate. I guess in the end I'm just scared. I've never been pg before, don't really know anyone in my life who is pg. I'm worried about BP, about weight gain, about the possibility of bed rest and of not being able to carry baby to term. I'm just scared. Any advice or words of peace? :-) lol.

hello everyone, I'm new at this so just want to introduce myself and ask a few question about the lap band. i had my lap-band surgery on Nov. 3, 2008 i had weighed 215lbs. I have had 3 adjustment and I i have only lost 23 lbs and now i feel stuck. I just had my 3rd adjustment on Tuesday when i weight in it shown that i gain 2lbs is that normal? i can eat anything except bread and rice, and i don't feel any restriction what so ever. I still throw-up a lot when i do eat bread and rice. so is anyone having this same problem? am I doing something wrong? i see the Dr. every 6 weeks instead of 4, by the time i see him again i'm so discourage that i think i made a mistake doing this. Another thing, the weight i have lost I don't feel any different i just know that i lost a few lbs because my clothes doesn't fit so tight, looking in a mirror i still see FAT! whats up with that lol i'm I having an eye problem? maybe i should have done the gastric bypass. will someone please hit me back......

I got the band 3 years ago and researched it for 9 months before I actually went for the surgery. Back then, great things were promised with the band. Since that time, studies are showing that the least amount of weight is lost with the band and that people are increeasing reporting weight gain not to mention complications. I did not wake up one morning and decide to go for revision surgery. I had to look at all the weight loss surgeries available and then determine which one was right for me. After making the decision to have a sleeve, I then had to research surgeons to find the best one skilled in that procedure. I will not be flying into Mexico. I'm flying into CA and then being driven to the hospital which is not in the part of Mexico "in the news." I don't need more time to think about this because I took the time and am at peace with the revision surgery, the surgeon, and the hospital. I am very sorry that your surgeon would not do the surgery you wanted. I would not allow a surgeon to tell me what he would or would not do. I'm paying the surgeon. If I don't get what I am paying for, I look for someone else. Eleven pounds in 5 weeks is very good and I hope you continue to have success.

I'm not sure if I had what you have, but in Dec. I got to the point of not able to eat hardly anything without it getting stuck and had to throw up. Not because of nauseousness but it was uncomfortable. Even applesauce would lay there for 2 hours. So I had an upper GI (barrium swallow with a radiologist) and he said I was too restricted. I hadn't had any fill adjustments for almost 2 years so it was weird that something changed in my band restrictions. So I wanted to have like 1 cc removed but no ....... they took it all out (about 6 cc), ever since that day I have been eating way too much and have gained back 12 pounds. I am very upset with the place I went to and they will only give me back tiny adjustments which are ridiculous. Take off work, drive 2 hrs and walk out with no restriction. I'm going somewhere else and hoping they will cooperate a bit more. Hope this helps. I know its uncomfortable to have food laying there but if I could do it over again I would just limit myself to protein shakes and liquids instead of back to square one and weight gain.

Maybe you are just having a very big baby. My sister in law, who is very petite put on close to 40 kilos when she was pregnant, she was so upset. Most of hers was Fluid and she lost it all within 3 months of giving birth. I think she even got lower than her starting weight. I find it hard to believe that all your weight gain is body fat, it must be baby and fluid. But seeing those scales must be so hard. Just think, you can start fresh when baby comes :huh2:

The weight gain is fine, when you have an IV you are pumped full of fluids which can make you gain water weight, it did that to me too, no worries. I have been in alot of pain too, I had surgery on Friday and today is the first day it hasn't been as bad. Its still hurts though, for me its been my throat and gas pains. Hang in there, it can only get better right?

Hello, I had a busy day today, but it was nice. I had an appointment first with my regular Dr. just for a check up, I have been on Effexor (antidepressant) and it is just too expensive, so I took the walgreens list of $4 drugs and he gave me generic prozac. Does anyone here know about prozac? I hope it works. He said alot of the other drugs cause weight gain. Then I went to a friends house and we met another friend at the casino here, we didn't gamble at least with money, we just ate, and ate, and ate, and then talked and then ate, ..... You get the idea!! We were all bad girls!!! It was nice to get together with old friends, we have all been friends since high school. Really nice day!! Now I am going to bed!! Glad you are back Haydeee!! Nice to see you TRACYKS!!

I am home, safe and sound! We had some snow packed roads and drove in snow for awhile, but nothing too bad. Got my fill, he was not smug about my weight gain, he actually said for a year unfilled, with the surgery in the middle, it was not bad....shock! I have the 9.75 band that holds a max of 4 cc.'s and he gave me 1.5, water is a slow go today, but I figure part of that may be that I ate lunch prior to the fill and that can make it extra tight for the digestion time he said. So happy to get back in the right direction!!! Judy, when my parents celebrated 25 years, they planned a trip to Hawaii, and the month before they left, my brother was critically injured, and was actually still in the hospital long after they had planned to go. So the trip got put off. They ended up going for their 35th or something, and the tour guide at the Fern Grotto, included them in a marriage vow renewal! They loved it. Then they went back a few times when Manda lived there--we all did!! Was the only affordable way to do it frequently! If you get the chance to ever spend time on Oahu hit the Polynesian Culture Center, and the International Market Place. They also have an incredible flea market (although it is all new items through vendors---not used yard sale type sellers) at the Aloha Bowl football field. We spent most of our vacations on Oahu because that is where they were based, but I loved Kauai the most, for the tropical feel. The year the hurricane hit it, my Aunt & Uncle were on the island!! But all in all I had the most fun on the beaches of Maui. I wish I was going back with you!!! No sign of the guy out back. He has no idea where we went today---we left before 7----and just got home, I am sure after I have been so mad at him, he is concerned....makes me smile!!! Well I am exhausted, and going off to bed. Will catch up with all of you tomorrow. Haydee, so glad you are home and had a wonderful time!!! We listened to a Sue Grafton book on the way home---so Ifeel like my bedtime story has been read to me, time to sleep!!! Feel better Jenn! LOVED, LOVED the pics Pamela!!!

I love the NSV's - digging through my closet and pulling out the size 16 clothes and knowing they fit perfectly now and are even getting too big - throwing out the clothes from size 18 to 2 XL (that was even getting tight) knowing I will never be that size again - knowing that for the first time in my diet history, I don't have to worry about regaining the weight - gaining only a pound or two if I am really bad for a while then getting back on a healthy track and it comes off - getting compliments on how great I look - not having to worry about fitting into places like amusement rides, theatre seats - wearing clothes that fit my new body and show it off instead of hiding under loose baggy clothes - having a waist again I LOVE MY BAND! It is the best thing I ever did for myself.:rolleyes2:

Does anybody have experience with weight gain after starting Prednisone? I have been gaining a 1/2 to 1 pound a day but am careful with my calorie intake. Will this gain leave as soon as I stop the Prednisone? I am on 10mg a day for 14 days for severe Sciatica pain. Which also means I had to stop exercising. Help!!!! Mimi

Thank you so much to everyone for your very informative, and especially to NCsQueen! When I got my band, I was only about the 5-6th patient my surgeon had done. There was no support group for lap band, only gastric bypass. I am not the only person who is having problems. I talk to others who have had the band in the time frame I have and we all feel like there was something "left out" when we had our initial consultations. The first three patients here in my hometown had a different band and they are doing very well. Theirs is a 5cc band, where mine is 10. (More visits = more $.) At the time I decided to have this surgery, there was hardly anything on the web about it. It's not like it is now, and this time 3 years ago, I wouldn't have gotten the response from everyone that I got today. I had the upper GI which only showed the reflux. I did not have reflux prior to the band. Cleo's mom-I called the MD and requested the CD today! Thanks for the awesome advice. I know I am my own worst enemy when it comes to my weight, but I paid a lot of money for something that really doesn't work like I thought it would. Cleo's mom-again-you are right on that the hunger pains don't seem to dissipate. At one particular visit, I had just started my cycle and the MD told me that this does not cause weight gain. I went back one week later and had lost 7 lbs from the week before. That's why I think I got a bum deal. I look at Sharon Osborne and she looks so good that I want to find out if she had a different band. I am going to take everyone's advice to heart and when my insurance kicks in April, I will get a second opinion. I don't want another fill because the reflux is too much, and I get it from everything I eat, including healthy food. Thank you to everyone who wrote back.

Tracy - try taking a Vitamin C supplement daily. stress = high cortisol levels high cortisol levels = weight gain, high blood pressure, impaired immune function Vitamin C supports adrenal function = lower cortisol levels! Voila!

Eh, not really okay, but surviving. You can pretty much get the gist of it on facebook. Wow. When I was 20 I had a reduction. I was a HH and went down to a D. I used to have to have my bras special made in Orlando because stores just didn't carry them in my size. That was back in 1986 and they cost me around $80.00 each. And, that was also when I was quite small, weighed about 130, so I was very, very top heavy. It can be quite miserable. With my weight gain, I only went up to a DD, thank goodness.

You're experiencing the normal feelings and thoughts about surgery. Just know we all have had some level of aprehension which is normal. Just do everything your doctor says, asks questions and just go with the flow. The band is the best thing you could ever do for yourself. Just figure, if you don't do anything you'll stay on this roller coaster of weight gain/loss which is far worst on you physcially than than the anesthia. I hope this helps.

I'm like you, I told everyone who would listen or was interested. I've droped alot of weight and I get tons of support and encouragement from co-workers and friends. Plus my GF is the total best in all ways. I've had a few people I've told or heard me talking about it ask me in private about it cause they were thinking about having it done. They said they would see how I did before getting the lapband done. The question I've gotten the most, when people know, is do I miss any kinds of food, how many meals do I eat per day, have I ever been concerned about getting all my Vitamins and nutrients in. It is all a personal thing and yes, before the band I hated saying anything about my weight loss, because it was always followed by weight gain and dissappointment.

Well strange as it may seem , we are more alike than you think, I have heard so many times the comments you speak of , even my Doctor said a few years ago , some people are just big Nick why dont we call your limit 17 stone ( 240lbs ) , like you Im very big around the shoulders ( was very active in my late teens early 20's ) and had a reasonable good physique then , even then I was 220lbs of which they consider obese , my wife refers to those as my skinny years LOL ... strangely enough she says still to this day Nick I still see you thro my eyes as that person and at that size , I dont see you as overweight .. but the fact does remain the weight I am at is affecting my health .. so it must be addressed for sure. These people also dont consider your own personal feelings about your body or the mental aspect of it all , I think at 25 years of age , your picking the right time in life to address your issues. Your young , at what I would say at a peak time of your life and you should be enjoying life to the full , and if weight is preventing you from doing so , then of course you should attempt to correct it ... Anyway I thought I would post a pic for you , Im 5ft 10.5" , 10 years ago I was 6 foot , Im actually shrinking in height would you believe due to fact of my back problems .. who would have thought 1.5" in 10 years .. anyway heres the pic ... its recent only a year old , I was 280lbs when this was taken ... and for comparison my wife is only 132lbs , and its a side on picture , you will see not a huge stomach , Im kind well just everywhere , when weight gains , it hits my face arms , legs everywhere , kinda in proportion ... anyway I hope the pic helps and shows well at least your not mad in your line of thought , or comments being said , and the further additon to the post you find helpful ... So look at the pic , would you consider it a frame of a man that has so many health issues going on , mostlky in relation to weight ?. I also believe , as I am quite a black or white , yes or no type of person , and they are a lot of nice people out there of course , but their comments sometimes just dont help the situation , they dont help because they are not in your shoes. You do what is right for you , makes you happy and helps you achieve your goals with you in mind ... of course in a healthy and positive way. Where are you in the world out of curiousity ? ps , the pic is as attached file click and should open

Hi macmadame, up until 2 weeks ago i was losing the 2 lbs a week and not feeling hungry. So dr kwon's nurse suggested going on Protein Shakes only for a few days to jump start my system again. I have picked up the pace as far as exercising. I am wondering if it is muscle that is the weight gain?? How long have you had your band.? Almost 90 lbs!! That's great, good for you. I go back to the dr. Next week. I'll see what happens. Thanks for answering.

Well, my wife has been dieting and trying to eat about the same thing as me. Understand she is NOT banded. She has done terriffic, but the reason I got banded is because I believe everyone can lose weight until biologically we are driven to start eating too much again. I just believe, for most people it is inevitable to regain on a diet because we have in our basic genetic code too many things that work against us. I watch how hard she is working and I remember how difficult it used to be, and it really makes me feel bad. In fact it is down right upsetting. I wanted her to get either banded or get a gastric sleeve at the same time as me, but she just doesn't want to do it. She wants to lose it on her own. Well she is a strong women who has proven she can do it, but it is a terrible thing to watch how hard it is for her. I also feel that she has lost the weight in the past and can do it again, but has also always gained it back. Why can't she see how futile it is without some help? I'm just really frustated for her, and I feel guilty, about how well and how much easier this is with help. And then I dred what I think is inevitable, the biological need to eat will force her back into weight gain and make her feel like a failure.

Well, my wife has been dieting and trying to eat about the same thing as me. Understand she is NOT banded. She has done terriffic, but the reason I got banded is because I believe everyone can lose weight until biologically we are driven to start eating too much again. I just believe, for most people it is inevitable to regain on a diet because we have in our basic genetic code too many things that work against us. I watch how hard she is working and I remember how difficult it used to be, and it really makes me feel bad. In fact it is down right upsetting. I wanted her to get either banded or get a gastric sleeve at the same time as me, but she just doesn't want to do it. She wants to lose it on her own. Well she is a strong women who has proven she can do it, but it is a terrible thing to watch how hard it is for her. I also feel that she has lost the weight in the past and can do it again, but has also always gained it back. Why can't she see how futile it is without some help? I'm just really frustated for her, and I feel guilty, about how well and how much easier this is with help. And then I dred what I think is inevitable, the biological need to eat will force her back into weight gain and make her feel like a failure.

You are doing fine. If you are following the Post-op diet as your doctor subscribed, I wouldn't worry about it. Ignore the scales for right now. Your body is going through some shock and may be holding on to your fat. When we do not get enough calories, our metabolism slows down and we don't burn as much fat. For this reason, many surgeons will tell us to expect a small weight gain during these weeks. Personally, my goal at this stage was to heal, not to lose weight. I just followed the doctors advice regarding the types of foods I could eat, not the quantity. Once your body heals, you'll have plenty of time to lose the weight. Just be patient. God Bless!

Just got back from obgyn. Next week starts the weekly cervical exams (fun!) and some strep test where they swab your hooha and your bum..ew. Carson is measuring 38cm.. and apparently he's suppose to measure with the week. I am 34 weeks, so he should be 34cm! She never asked me, I don't know why.. but I brought up the fact (well I am tall obviously) but my brother & dad are giants!! And she asked about how big we were when we were born.. me & siblings were all 21", which is taller than normal baby, but our weight was normal. So they scheduled an ultrasound for next week to see if he's 'big' or just tall. I have a feeling he's just tall, I don't know why.. maybe from all the kicking, but that I'm not as huge as some people this far along. Either way, still cool I get a free ultrasound! BCBS only pays for 2 ultrasounds unless there's a medical reason, so if she has a medical reason I get another one. She also asked because of my hip, if I wanted to get a note to be home from work duration of my pregnancy. Wow, it's that easy!! I said no. I feel better at work than I do at home, sitting at my desk doesn't give me problems.. when I get home and I'm in my bed, is when I hurt the worst. Plus I'd go crazy just laying around at home!! Oh and I heard back from my band doc today, I e-mailed them last week about my chest pain and lack of restriction, etc. I am getting real paranoid about that, it's like I'm not banded anymore, and they only took out .5cc!!!! Plus with the weight gain, I should be more restricted. In any event this was their response... I guess it's good they're not worried?

I am at a standstill in weight loss, was counting my calories and watching carefully what I ate, keeping away from carbs and sugars, and getting 800-900 calories per day. I went to my nutritionist and she went through my food log with me, and showed me how on the few days I went over the 900 my notes show how hungry I got (my margin notes say "HUNGRY!!! So Hungry!!!") She said this is typical, she sees it with anorexic patients all the time--it is the body's way of saying "hey, you're feeding me! Do this more! I NEED this!" She says, absolutely, I MUST have 1200 to 1300 calories in a day. She showed me research about how the body shuts down the metabolism when you starve it with lower calories. So now I am working hard at getting my minimum of 1200 calories in per day. I know that my weight gain has been from years of doing this to myself, eating at the wrong level of food intake, as I have always been a "starver" in the goal of staying thin (which obviously hasn't worked!) So, 3 meals per day, all solid food (no Protein drinks, slider foods, etc.), protein first, some carbs with every meal, and 1200 to 1300 calories per day, those are my goals. I'm still learning, though, finding it hard to get the calories up to that level.

I'm 2 1/2 years out from getting banded and having trouble. I started gaining weight and being able to eat more. When I went in to see my doc two weeks ago he seemed completely unconcerned about my weight gain and merrily sent me to get a fill. But during the fill there seemed to be a problem, swelling and perhaps a slipped band (the nurse didn't say slipped but the xray sure looked like it). They sent me home unfilled and on 2 weeks liquids. I was going to go back today but on Friday sent an email to a clinic much closer to my home that also does VSG just in case I need to consider more surgery. The coordinator called me right back (she's banded) and we talked for a long time. They take my weight gain and swelling seriously and want to do another fleuro and possibly endoscopy to see what's going on. And it turns out that they're a provider under my insurance (my surgeon isn't any more). So fills and any additional things I might need will be covered. Plus it's near my home and not two hours away. The coordinator said that VSG isn't covered but replacing the band is. They do VSG but insurance won't pay. They do lots of band replacements and the smaller bands like the one I have seem to be the culprit although I'm not clear why. So I'm headed in tomorrow for an appointment and to find out more. It was a huge relief to find a practice that really seemed to care that I have gained weight and also ready to do more testing to find out what's wrong. For those that might be interested I'll report back what I find out... Britt

You can also click my picture and go to my website and find my first fill on video. Its day 27. So, you just had your first fill. Not so bad, right? For the remainder of the day on your “fill days,” you should stick to just liquids: clear and full liquids. The band around your stomach is a little tighter so it may take a day or two for your body to adjust, so taking in only liquids for the day can prevent the possibility of anything getting “stuck” at the band site. Everybody’s fill volume is going to be different. And the amount of fills you get will vary from person to person. So, don’t compare yourself to others, thinking “why does she have only 5cc’s and I’m at 7cc, etc etc?” It can take a while until we reach the sweet spot of filling your band with just the right amount, to where you can still eat but feel comfortable and satisfied after a small amount of food, and continue to lose weight. Which brings us to the rules of how you should be eating. It’s not just “what” you eat, but also the way you consume your foods and liquids. For the most of us, we’ve been raised in the Clean Plate Club of America, with membership only granted to fast eaters. That behavior has got to change. Remember: SLOW, SMALL, and CHEW THOROUGHLY. When consuming foods and drinking liquids, take your time and slow down. Where’s the fire? When we eat too fast, we often end up eating too much. And when we finally feel full, we’re grossly stuffed. Sound familiar? Being so full, we have to excuse ourselves, unbutton our pants just so we can breathe. If you eat too much, over time, you may stretch your pouch. And stretching your pouch leads to a larger stomach that can hold more food. More food = more calories = weight GAIN. It takes about 20 minutes for our brains to register satiety. Once you train yourself to slow down, put the fork down between bites, and savor the food, you may find yourself being comfortably satisfied with less food than usual. Try it. After a couple bites of food, ask yourself: Do you feel full and satisfied with the amount you just ate? If so, this is a good stopping point and it’s time to step away from the table. For solid foods and liquids, make sure they are in small amounts. No more pelican mouth. If you eat too large of a bite, chances are that you probably won’t chew it well enough. This increases your chance of food getting lodged at the band site. The next thing you should do would be to locate the nearest sink/toilet/trashcan/whatever receptacle because what just went down will most likely want to come back up. Think of a funnel. Only small pieces can pass. Too large of anything: food, liquid, pills can clog up your pipe. With each bite of food, chew thoroughly. Now that you’re reminding yourself to slow down and take small bites, don’t forget to chew your food up quite well. Your stomach shouldn’t have to do much digesting. The food should be broken down well enough prior to entering the stomach. By chewing your food thoroughly, you decrease the likelihood of food getting stuck and increase the ability to tolerate more foods like beef, chicken, bread, etc. And also, chewing your food thoroughly will help you slow down the pace. All of this will come naturally, it just takes some practice. Keep reminding yourself and you’ll realize why it is so important to modify our eating behaviors. Lin Lin Shao, RD LD Bariatric Dietitian

Karen, First, I am so sorry for the pain you are feeling after your surgery. Back pain is never easy. I certainly hope that it can be resolved. Next, please don't let yourself feel "guilty" about gaining some weight. Managing your weight while you are in pain has got to be very tough. Most of us got to be obese by self medicating with food. That has to be very tempting for you now. Last, please get to your band doctor and have him/her get you to restriciton. You shouldn't have to go through this alone. Your band doctor should be understanding of your situation and should NOT make you feel guilty. Don't be ashamed to ask for help when you fall down. What's important is what you do from this day forward. Forget about any weight gain and start fresh today. Best of luck!!